Final Rural on Tap vote delayed

ROCKFORD — A vote to finalize the City Council’s approval of a new bar in the Rural Oaks shopping plaza was delayed Monday when it lacked the support needed to pass.

Aldermen voted 10-4 last week to approve a liquor license for Rural on Tap, 1710 Rural St. They also voted 11-3 to allow the business to have the same number of parking spaces currently on the lot, 54, which is fewer than required by city code.

On Monday, the City Council needed to approve the ordinance that finalizes those votes. But with four of the council’s 14 aldermen absent from Monday’s meeting, supporters didn’t have the eight votes required to approve the ordinance. That’s because three of the four absentees were supporters, meaning only seven of the council members present Monday were in favor of the bar and three were opposed.

A majority of the council, however, can decide to delay a vote. Aldermen voted 9-1 to lay the vote over to next week, when presumably more Council members will be present to approve the ordinance.